Hidden in Shadows
by joannaasia1991
Summary: After the departure of Pharaoh Marik discovers that he has lost the meaning of life. After ten years of Marik feel complete emptiness and no longer able to enjoy anything. His emotional states - including bouts of aggression - that causes his siblings can not help him or deal with him. Marik ends up in the asylum. Will he find a way to get back his will to live his life again?


It's been ten years since Pharaoh return to his kingdom. Ten years since he won against Marik's evil side. Ten years Marik was losing himself. With Pharaoh gone Marik lost his purpose to live…his destiny. All Marik was thought in tomb…all Marik has learn and did after he left that place. It all seem like a something what just stuck deeply inside of his mind like. His life before became like unwanted dream Marik can't even remember. He thought when he was leaving Domino he will find what to do with his life soon. But here he was. Ten years passed and he felt like he's stuck for good. He felt emptiness. Nothing was making him passionate or happy any more. Marik could swear everyday life was killing him. First went his life mission, then his love for duelling, then games at all and finally his love for motorcycles. His every passion was killed through few years. There was so little he even cared about after that. Unfortunately it was getting worst. Marik was caring less and less everyday. To the point where he could not feel anything except emptiness which seemed to consume him, to consume his soul and mind. In ten years life became nightmare of vanishing away. In this ten years Marik's days were split between everyday routine and time when he was laying on his bed crying even for hours. In this moments Marik was depressed and he didn't really knew why. Was it because of this emptiness he was feeling since Pharaoh left? Marik was not sure. He just knew he have great need to cry.

Unfortunately he had that need often, almost everyday. His siblings couldn't help him. They just like Marik didn't knew what was reason of this emotional conditions. Some of them were going into extremes. Like aggression where Marik was destroying everything in his room or when he was also screaming in pure rage while hitting wall with his fists until they were bleeding so much Ishizu and Odion had to take him to hospital. That was bring some peaceful time where emptiness was consuming Marik from the inside. How ever it became mentally exhausting. Marik started to look for strong impulses to feel something …anything at all except emptiness, anger, rage and sadness. It leaded to cutting himself. Unfortunately Marik found need to cut deeper and more dangerously to the point he almost killed himself. This did not happen only once. But many, many times happen when Marik almost took his life in more ways then just cutting himself. Ishizu and Odion could not ignore any more fact they can't do anything to help Marik in person.

Marik end up on therapy and soon even in asylum. Asylum was placed in middle size building near park and worked since 50 years nonstop. Owners took care of building the best they could with money they had. Sure there were technical problems here and there but place was kept clean and with care for patients. Rooms were for one to maxim four people but most of patients were in placed in rooms for two. In the section for people who like Marik were trying kill themselves they make effort to not let patients try it again in the asylum. Patients here were placed in the rooms alone. Marik was more then okay with that. He had thanks to that his alone time where nobody was bordering him. In his room was single bed, wardrobe, bedside table. The linen was white plus brown blanket. The room had a sink with clean, fresh water. He spend there two years and after week he could say that he died inside again for hard to tell which in order time. At least nobody was bothering him with everyday life. Sure there were those classes where they wanted him to express himself it was no use. Because how can you express emptiness with colours or move? Because of that Marik was usually sitting and doing nothing what was 'expressing' how he felt. Group or one on one therapy weren't working too if you ask Marik sure Marik got to his bedside table few books thanks to his 'progress in therapy'. However that was like the only up side to that whole therapy thing. No matter how long it was going on Marik's answers didn't changed. He still felt dead and empty inside. It was reminding times of his childhood in tomb because he felt familiar emotions back then but now there was no darkness or fear or hatred. In asylum was way more peaceful. Almost as if time was stuck together with him and only things which were changing didn't matter for Marik. Sure there was some changes. For example his attacks of aggression stopped since he was taken away from everyday life which was for him like poison that was annoying him a lot. After some time, Marik wasn't counting how long he was in asylum, something seemed be watching him. Not like cameras or employees of asylum. This eyes or maybe eye were watching him way more carefully and were reaching way deeper. The worst was that Marik couldn't find out who or what was watching him with such passion and care. Soon that something was watching him without break. Watching him all day and night in every place he was. But it didn't stopped there. Marik started from time to time hear soft whisper. It sounded like few people were whispering at this same time exactly this same words. But they were too quiet for Marik to understand what they are saying. The only thing Marik get was that sometimes those voices were speaking his name. So it finally happened huh? This emptiness twisted his mind and make him hear voices. What next? Hallucinations? It was true Marik was hoping for change inside of his mind and soul but was madness solution here?

Marik decide to hear out voices that were at this point actually haunting him. He get to conclusion that maybe if he hear them out he will be able do something with what they keep saying. Maybe he even escape this nightmare of emptiness? Well it was hard to say but he still was going to hear those voices out. It took two weeks before he started to hear voices loud enough to be able hear words clearly or rather to separate one from an other. He also could hear it sound like song or something like that. It had melody in it. Week later he was finally able to hear and understand words: ' Your soul burn what you still trying to ignore. Darkness is consuming your sky but will that catch your eye? Closer than you think. Closer than you hope. Closer than you want. I'm here. I'm there. I'm everywhere! Marik Marik Marik you poor little soul. Do you even care what with you is going on?'. And that was…it. Words were repeating over and over but between were also whispering that he couldn't understand no matter how loudly and clearly he heard them.

One day that madness make an other step. In common-room Marik found black cat sitting on the other side of window. It wasn't everyday thing here but nothing that special to treat it that way. Maybe except that cat's eyes. This cat had thin violet circle on the edge of its pupils. It was there, as it seemed to Marik, it was watching him. From time to time it was moving its mouth as if it was saying something. Since that day Marik's thoughts were making circles between strange song from voices and the black cat. Especially that it's eyes. Marik couldn't help it but feel it was all somehow connected. Even more when Marik had impression that words of strange song and moves of cat's mouth were synchronized as if it was the cat who was singing it. Marik was thinking about it so much he started to drawn this eyes and wrights down words of song around them. That was seen as progress in therapy and to be honest Marik was not interested in correcting it. Later at night Marik had a dream for the first time for a long time. Maybe even in years.

Around him was darkness he couldn't see a thing. His hands found some stones…they seemed to form wall. After some time in darkness and deep fear Marik finally found a lighted torch. It was the only one around so he took it off the wall. Marik took look at himself. He was just dressed in pyjamas from asylum and nothing more. Marik did realised it before but this place had well known to him smell…smell of the tomb. Corridors he was going through were turning in many directions and sometimes way he choose had dead end. It was obvious what this place was. The labyrinth. At some point Marik had a feeling he's been watched and somebody or something was following him. Soon too impression was added snake like hissing. Marik looked behind and his eyes opened wide. Behind him was big snake with gold body and dark eyes. Big enough for Marik to look next to it like a mouse. The pray next to predator. Marik started to run. Being careful to not make torch loose flames. If he lose light he will be dead for sure. Snake however didn't speed up. That meant it is sure it will get Marik no matter where he will go. At some point Marik found big path leading far far away so he couldn't tell where it was leading. But he run that way. In front of himself he found open room if you don't count stairs that were leading in every possible way even those against gravity. Marik heard hissing again. He had to move on. But he started to think…if it is not just a dream. But also it give him a feeling that if he die here he won't wake up ever again. Marik maybe felt consume by emptiness but he didn't wanted to die. In past ten years he looked for strong impulses but not for death.

He walked up the stairs. The room was lit with torches so Marik turned off that one he had, but he kept it. Just in case. On each of densely spaced a half floors were stone arches portals. Some of them threw him onto opposite side of the stairs and others led him onto different road or many levels away. Because it was not possible to speak of climbing up or other similar direction. The stairs could be arranged spiral, into arcs or stacked like a ladder. Along the way of course there were also bridges or thin passages through which he had to balance his way to the other side. All this way he walked was because of the snake followed him persistently and tirelessly. However, it was necessary to note that the changes in snake's form. That snake underwent something Marik could call mutation or even humanization. Snake slowly but successively earned a human body from the waist up, his body, but from the waist down his body remained as the great golden snake. What were the appearance of snake's human half was hard to say. The beast wore a coat which would allow Marik saw only hands , muscular chest and neck of the snake. It was so much what he saw plus that being was large. Face Marik didn't saw and he couldn't see it. This snake has a hood which tightly due to his face, and even half of the neck. However, the snake also earned a weapon which glowed ominously with its blade. The blade as Marik thought it was made out of gold or blade was designed to make that impression. This weapon was now his biggest concern, and the grace with which the creature was moving. It showed that the snake was agile hunter and his pace, was the result of limitless confidence that the snake will get Marik not matter what he'll do to save himself.

Marik decided that wandering here is becoming increasingly risky. Several time he was literally one half floor from the snake. He had to get out. Finally he found something that could be an exit. Marik found the portal which as the only one - of all those Marik saw - had carved symbols on it. Sadly he didn't knew this symbols and he didn't understood them. Marik could get into the hall in front of him through this portal and behind him was still the mutant snake. The choice was simple. Marik lit torch he had with him with use of fire from the nearest placed on the wall and Marik walked down the corridor that was ahead of him. The corridor was not pleasant. It was filled with the stench. Although Marik could not tell what caused it. After some time, Marik noticed that the walls are painted with something red. This were written on the walls words. This words were still fresh and certainly it was not the paint what was used here. Drops flowed too freely and too easily for the paint . The explanation that came to his head was one. The walls were marked with blood. At least Marik had such impression. Words were not nice . They were hieroglyphic which meant: sin, murder, violence and abuse. The words were repeating and they're appearing more and more densely on the walls, but also they showed up at the ceiling and on the floor.

That disgusting smell Marik felt since he got into this corridor was getting stronger and unpleasant even the eyes stung from it. At the and of corridor was something but Marik couldn't see it clearly even with the lighten up torch in his hand. Suddenly above that something was turned on bright white light as if it was light of reflector spotted at that…dead body. But it wasn't just corpses oh no. This was tortured and killed slowly body of men who was on his knees because of chains that were keeping him as prisoner even if he was dead for a long time. Body of poor men was in horrible condition. Many wounds that required imaginative methods to made them. The wounds were infected, rotting and deepening of the vermin. However Marik felt deep need to find out who this men was and he had strong feeling that look at this person face will give him that answer. He came close to body holding his nose and hardly opened eyes to protect them from smell. He kneel in front of corpses and reached to grab its chin. He raised poor men head. His face was familiar. Those hair golden, this lips and purple eyes…"It's me…" Marik whispered in deep fear almost not making any sound. Marik started to retreat still being close to ground. He was retreating in hurry and in fear until something get his way.

His back hit torso of this big snake they was after him. Marik looked up at snake and their eyes met. Snake had purple eyed like Marik, golden hair and beard with moustache. Marik recognised this face. This was face of his father…this twisted with madness and hatred eyes of men who lived too long caged by family traditions and duty. 'Murder' snake hissed and Marik throw himself to escape from snake. His pursuer took off his cloak and hood together with it. Snake's human half wear face of his father and now when Marik think of it snake also had this same hands like father. But the big differences from his father was snake half and that this being was fucking huge. It was hissing words that were making Marik feel guilty. Of killing his father and not being the son he should be.

Then in his way showed up trap and it was a trapdoor. Marik fall in and he faced trip somewhere way lower. He have almost fallen on his face if he didn't saved it with his arms. He rolled few meters until he finally stopped. He sit up and looked around. He was in strange round room where you couldn't see how far is the roof or the floor. In the air where stone platforms flying around. On one of those was Marik. Way he got in here was too steep to use it to get out. There was no other exit Marik could find with his eyes where he was in that moment. So…Question was where to go..up or down? Choice was not only not easy but also if Marik chose right way it will be simply pure luck. Since both ways looked equally promising. Marik sighed and decide to go up. At least if he chose wrong it will be easier go whole way back. Climbing up wasn't that hard but it was still challenging for Marik. He wasn't use to do such things like climbing up on moving platforms which were flying in the sky around the room. But here he was climbing on this platforms up and it was taking forever. Mostly because he had to wait for right moment to move from one platform to next one.

Lucky for him platforms were not moving completely random. There was whole cycle they were doing. A combination that was repeating itself and Marik wad thankful for that because he could plan his next move knowing that. But an other problem was that sometimes the only way up was to climb on rope or chain. Marik really was not good with this so climbing on those up took a lot of time and effort. He wondered if it is his dream or something close to that then…can he control anything around here? He grabbed rob attached to platform above him and he started to pull and the platform…it moved to him…it was as if it weight nothing. He pulled again this time stronger and it was like pulling big balloon. He pulled again and again and again and again. Soon it was at the reach of his hand. He touched platform. It was still this this was still made out of cold rocks. It was just so unreal. Marik climbed on platform he pulled closer. When he was on top of it next platform was so far. Marik jumped just in hopeless matter but then something strange happened. Platform he was on hit platform under itself and bounced up. Marik was…well word 'surprised' wasn't even beginning describe it. It was so unreal but also fun…and that platform did again what he was hopping for so desperately. He jumped again and platform again got up. Thanks to this Marik was able to get to next platform but that was it. When his wish stopped be strong and desperate platform again became just a platform and Marik learn that the hard way. He jumped in the way it would let him hit into platform with power but his feet meet up with hard rock platform. It hurt a lot. He had to wait a while before pain was gone.

Then snake with face of his father showed up but this time it was gigantic monster that could easily move here. Marik again felt that hit of panic. He started to run, jump and climb like crazy he didn't even realised he was doing things impossible for human being. He was jumping way more high and far, getting on next platform as if it was just next step of regular stairs. Also whole speed of his moves was impossible for any human but he was not doing it or even realised he was doing. All because that monster was coming after him and it was coming fast. With voice and face of his father snake was again calling him names like 'murder' or 'traitor. But also it was telling him that he won't escape or save his life no matter what he will do. However Marik was too busy and concentrated on climbing to hear snakes words. But lucky for him soon he found exist from this room. It were small doors build into floor. The trick is doors were big enough for Marik and way way too small for snake. The hard part was to get to this exist before snake will catch him. That snake was way faster than Marik and with it's sizes it had way easier with climbing up after him.

However Marik was concentrated on one thing. Fight for survival. Just few more. Few more platforms and he will make it! He will escape this room and that snake. Just few more! With heart beating as if it wanted break free from his chest he reached trapdoors and climbed on the upper floor leaving snake that almost got him. As he was on his knees and hands he was breathing deeply and fast. He was shocking because of emotions what happened in the room under him. It was close too close. After a while Marik noticed that in the room he was in was almost completely dark. He raised his head and…he couldn't believe his own eyes. For a split of moment he saw his Yami standing with candle on special saucer. However with one blink of the eye he was gone. Instead his Yami saw a cat. This same cat that showed behind the window of living room in the asylum. The cat was sitting next to candle Marik thought for moment his Yami was holding. Could it be his mind was so affected by fear and exhaustion that was playing tricks on him again? Marik rubbed his eyes. The cat and the candle were still there as if that was very normal thing for them. "You think you can show me the way out?" Marik asked but not expecting any respond. This place was too strange to hold on to logic. The cat meowed in respond and clearly nodded at his question. There was no mistake. This cat new way out of this nightmare. "Will you help me?" Marik asked not caring how strange that was he was having such conversation with that cat in this crazy place. The cat nodded and stood up. Marik also got up and made his way to the candle. He picked up candle and right after that cat made its way into one of corridors. He stopped at the edge between point where Marik still could see the cat and where one more step and Marik would lose the cat completely out of sight. It was then Marik was sure of answer no matter how strange it all was. He just wanted get as far as he could from snake and find escape from the labyrinth.

The path which cat was showing him was at the begging easy. But there were points Marik has to go on on his knees and be really really careful. But he could feel he was getting up. Air was getting more clean…refreshing. The other good news there was no sign of that snake. What was a bit worrying him was the silence. It was a bit disturbing to not hear anything except Marik's own breathing and his moves which were doubled by echo. Marik didn't heard even a sound from that cat which was right in front of him. As if it was just a ghost of cat or…shadow of cat. At that idea on his lips have showed up ironic smile. How long it was since he has to deal with not typical for most humans shadows? How long it was since this unrealistic aspect of his life was away for him? Years - if his memory served him right - it was whole 10 years since last time he actively was interacting with shadows and he's fully aware of it. Maybe it never was the most bright thing under the sun to be part of but Marik felt now nostalgia to this times of shadows and wonders. When his body and mind was so full of emotions and wild thoughts…maybe they weren't 'good' ones but it was still better than emptiness.

What's should be told is that whole adventure was making him think…about father. His death from Marik's own hands…and that father turned out to…not die because of Pharaoh's spirit…but then what really made this happened. Answer was too scary and heartbreaking for Marik to be formed even in his own thoughts…even if all he saw until now in this crazy place was forcing it. It was forcing Marik to admit this horrible truth about Marik's father death and his own person. Marik understood what was the meaning of corpses he fond earlier and what was the meaning of that snake…all it was about past and all 'what ifs' that he had in his head since death of his father… Marik shook his head. All this thoughts we're not only not wanted but also very not helping, distracting and Marik needed to get out of here!

Marik looked at cat which was leading his way. Could he really trust this creature? After all it could be just using his kinda helpless and desperate situation to trick him…or lead him to his death. All what was making Marik trust this cat was just a hunch that he can do so. No matter how irrational it was this was kinda all he had. If he decide to wonder himself there was big chance he will run into that snake again. There was still big chances for it but at least Marik will be able to blame cat for it…Marik chuckled at it. Was he really that pathetic to blame cat for things like that? But then again he wasn't sure if that cat was even really cat. His mind was working mysterious ways he had to admit that. Not only he was trusting 'cat' with his life but he also couldn't quit thinking about past. His mind was making circles around his father's death and all what happened until that point. The truth was forcing its way to his mind and resistance was getting smaller. Marik also couldn't keep ignoring it like he was doing in passing years. His father was a cruel men who was over using his position. Men with twisted mind by life underground and iron chains of traditions…which were holding Ishtars since times of death of nameless Pharaoh. His father…in that moment his thoughts were stopped.

Strong earthquake have shaken whole place few times. Then Marik heard sound of skin rubbing against stone floor and he knew what was coming. The snake. Marik looked at the cat and it looked as if it was not expecting this. Cat and Marik were facing snake and stepping back in fear until their backs hit wall. Marik closed eyes and took deep breath. "I know who you are.". Marik have spoken to snake looking him deeply in the eyes. "I know what you are!" He said stepping to snake. „You're my guilt. My grief and my doubts! Nightmares and visions about what might happen to me then. My concerns about what my father would have done to me and my siblings! How far would he go out of his deeds. Was his death my fault that he did it to himself brought! But it's time to end this!The past can not haunt me any more! I knowledge sins of my father and my own mistakes!" Marik said and hit ground with foot loudly. An echo of sound was like shot of energy that pushed away snake.

"I am master of my life. I will not allow dead people and closed past control me! BE GONE!" Marik screamed and that scream had power. Power to push away snake. To get Marik back in control of situation and his life in metaphorical way and literally. It was him who had all strings in his hand and snake found himself in web of his doom and finally it happened. After Marik's screaming snake was literally burned out of existence. Burned with Marik's screaming as if it was explosion of the bomb. But together with snake also was gone something else. The labyrinth itself was gone. Before Marik showed straight way to the table and candle on it. Around was nothing but pure space fulfilled with random objects left after labyrinth and that nightmare Marik faced here. However there was something left what remain by his side. The cat - which was rubbing it's head against his leg as if it was trying to convince him to go ahead to that candle on a table with - and candle in his hand. This two candles were the only źródło any light in this place. Marik looked at the cat and nodded and then went to candle. He knew there was the end to this strange adventure. The end of lesson he dare to say. Marik after few seconds was standing in front of the table with candle in his hand and candle on the table. He put one next to the other. He knew what to do. He knew what was the next step. He took deep breath in and blow away fire of both candles and with that the darkness took over.


End file.
